Train-alarm system.



L. J. OSTROWSKI.

TRAIN ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED umze. 1916.

1,286,743. Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR ATToFmEv s runs an. rua'mumu. nsnmmn. n.

L. J. OSTBOWSKI.

TRAIN ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.26. I916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES '0 W 0 ATTORNEY at-some train- 1 .25;

*thzitthe'cars may be connected infla reverse position, to provide' means by which thecir- 'cuit--of-each car is held 'open'by the connec- "tion with 'the neXtadjacent car and means by which "the circuit may be'opened. I

{and plug device. p p

v F'g. '3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the structure disclosed. in Fig. 2.

TRAIN-ALARM SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, -LEWIS J. OSTROWSKI,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Duryea, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania,'have invented certain new and vusefulImprovements in Train-Alarm Systems, ofwhich' the following is a specification. I w

An object of my invention is to provide a train alarm system which is so constructed that a bell or other audible 'orvisiblealarm device is mounted'in theengine cab, and a.

circuit arrangement is continued from the engine to each of the cars in such a relatlon that as the cars of train are connected, the alarm is inoperative and when the cars are accidentally disconnected through the breaking of a coupler or through any other cause, the circuit is closed and the current flowing through this'closed circuit will cause the alarm to be actuated to announce'to the engineer the fact that a break has occurred point throughout the length. of the "A, further objectis to so arrange parts lVith the above and other'objects in'view,

{my invention consists in certain novelffeaf tures of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set 'forth in connection with the accompanying jdraw- -in'gs, and then pointed out infthe appended claim. i r

In the drawings; j s

Figure 1 1s a diagrammatic VIGW'ShOWIHg the arrangement of the-parts carried by the engine or locomotive and by thecars' coupled in the rearthereof;

Fig. 2 is a view 1n elevation of the switch Fig. 4 is'a view in end elevation of the parts as illustrated in Fig. 2. s

- Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2 withthe .plug disconnected from the switch member.

F ig. 6 is a'perspective view to show the metallic structure of the plug.

Fig. 7 is a view in'elevation showingthe "sheet from which the 'plugis bentup. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

.block for'the plug. i a k Fig. 1', the circuit wires 1 and 2 have a bell 3 connec'tedtherein, these LEWIS J. OSTROWSKI, 0F nunvnelwnnsv vAnm.

Patented ec. 3, 1918.

Application filed January 26;1916. Serial No, 74,463.

Fig. 8 is a view in As is shown in .circuit wires and the bell being located on the locomotive and the bell'being, preferably positioned so that as'it is actuated it will be .audible to theengineer. .A battery4, or other suitable source of electrical'energizat10n is connected in oneof the wires of the circuit'and these circuit wires are continued in the extensionwires 5 and '6 which are connected on each of the cars,'the arrange- .mentof two cars with respect to the locomotive indicated at 7, being indicated at 8 and 9, and it of course being understood that the 'parts arranged on each car are identical with those of every other car.

Automatic switches are connected in each of the circuit wires as they are extended on the cars, and these automatic switchesare mounted at opposite ends of the cars in'thei r connection with the circuit wires '5. and 6,"it 'beinga purpose to thus mount the partst'o permit the reversal of" the Ycars. i:::Tl1ese switches comprise the insulating blocks 11 havingthe plug receiving casings 12 mount- -'ed thereon through the medium ofscrews or perspectiveof the filler 'any'other fastening means. .Theseplug-re- I and thence over to provide the topportion '13. the side members beingseparated or slit from the base at the open edges thereof and madeconvergent'iso that the tapered-spring fingers 14 and 15 are'provided, the top portion 13 being continued oi erthese tapered fingers. The block 11 is'cut or grooved out 1 on'its lower side'anda tongue extension" 16 "is-formed fromone end-of thebase of the switch casing 12 and. is folded to and securediunder the block and .within .the .cut {out or grooved portion to form a contact .extension' from the main switch casing 12. I

A spring contact finger 1 7 is mounted by the' 1 00 binding post 18 within the grooved out portion of the block 11 and in consequence, is insulated from the'switch casing 12. A

tread spring 19 is mounted on the bHSEIOf thecasing 12 for disposal between the sides thereof and engageswitha pin' 20i formed of hard rubberor any other suitable'insulatmg material. The pin'passes .throu ghian opening provided in the block 1 1 and T its ends contact with 'the tre'ad spring 19*an'd' ceiving casings 12 have the side members '85 thereof extended upwardly from the. base thefsprin g conta t linger 1-7", This isof sufficient length so that when onepf the members against which the end thereof 7 abuts is brought th aposit'inflat againstthe parts to which it is secured, the other contact member is raised. The "spring" contactfinger 17 preferably has greater resili} and" a'strhriger action than the tiehd spring 19, in consequence; of g whi'ch; the? spring contact member 17 will normally' tion. ,This contact finger 17'-wi'll engage withtheatent act 16 cafri'ed .by thecasing :1'2;'in consequence of whichadapts. the casing? and the spring contact finger v17 to be switch 'plngawhich,comprises metal farmer 21 havingthesu-pporting-bleek 22 im'ount'd' therein is made olfa. size to! be.

'rc'eived. through'the open part of the switch 1-2,: and the spring fingers 14a and '15 {are given sufli'cien t resiliency that as5end-- wisee pressii-re ord fiawingi strain is exerted 'uponizthis' block, thesaihe will be withdrawnf-rorri the position of inserti-n within the casing, and willbe entirely renioved therefrom'cthrough the tapered end byspreading movement of the spring fingers 1 4k and 15.

The retaining springs 23 and 24: arev mounted within the casing12'tob'ear against the sidesi'of the metallic structure 21 of the p'higand as: the plug been given" a certai'nlidegree of intivenient'; these springs; will be" disengitg'd, fro'mfitheasicles thereof and ithe ndsiwill preveht hack. movement *ofythe plug: tTheLp hig as an: entirety-is made of such a thickness thait it is pl'aed in: the

casing? l=2"with the uppersiide thereot hearinggag ainst-the flangecl' or lipped poi tion l3, '-thealower';side w'ill be bfonghtf to a bearing withthe trea-d spring'19 and will cause this raise? the spri-ng contact finger 1 7rf-rofn its 'en'gagemehtagainst the jcontacttongue 16 oftheycasing tliushreakmg the: electrical coniiection' frofri the casing to this spririg flcontac't finger: I v v f Q'RBZfiGII lITg noiw again more parfticularlyito liiig .l-cg the circuit wires 5. and 6; on the ears have the switches 25an-d 26-, whichzinay he of the lofdii'iary knif'e'? typ'e g-corinected theiwire 6, and, a shunt w'ire 291s connected -withthie binding post 18' of-the switch member cnhected in the circuit wire 6 "and has its; remaihifig'endiled to connect with the circhit wire B-v arranging thev shunt wifesa asqherelnbefore set fdrthyit will be :perceiveclfth t when the switch, plug, blocks ar .fe dr d fr m he .cas g'.andi,,f om the position from which they exert their pres- ,sure against the tread spring 19, the contact fin er-17 will come to engage with the contact/tongue 16 and in consequence the circuit 'will'he" 'c'orhpleted from the wire'5 to the Wire B or the reverse. The free ends of the circuit wires 5' and 6 are connected by the binding screws 30 with the several plugs and the wire is made sufliciently long that suflicient flexibility will be pernritted-between the cars to" allow thetra in. to take a curve without withdrawingithe nlug's from, their mounting in the casing 12-, alt-houghitxwi ll of course he nnc ler'sthotlthat when there is a break iii the train; theiplug cdnnected between the .two .carsuwhsich; have hrok'en: "apart: will be, removed from the casing and in consequence thcircuit, will. be completedthfioiugh; the

shunt wire oi the fe'rwarzdgcar and the alarm will be sounded the: engZi-nee1"s- ,cab, J The rerigager'nent the 'Inet'allic body structure '21- of the plugLwit-h thecasing 12 will coinvp l'ete the: circuit and make a continuous conductive line from the' en'gine to the last car when thedparts ar -conn-ectedthroughout a train,- itis preferable that the first ca-r following the engine be connect'ed with the engine in; thesamernann'er as; jcomjiectionis establis'hedKbetwenthefears; the sw tch arrangement being connected on the engine to be joinedwiththef circuit wire 2 thereof and arplugbei-ng' eai'rriedby; the circuit wire l to connect with the switch casing of the next adjacent can; Al'xswiteh 3lf whic h i s here shown a d -the u lr n e ypeisen ec e the ci'rciii t wires 1 and 2 of the engine so .thatwhe t a m. h s efiis lms d t th e gi er, e may 1 1 t is w chit break the-circuit and thus throw the alarm ro t-of bp'era 'i mz. treadspring: to bear against the! pin 201m In: the us of the device vthe locomotive is equipped as; has been hereinbefore set forth anda ea'ch of the cars-has the circuit wires-5 andh connected therewith and with the" switch mernbrsand casings as set-forth.

The switch 31 of the engine and the switches 25 and 26 of the several carsare closed-with v the exception (if theswitches of the'rear' car, -the.;15l'ugs carried by the circuit wires are .thenainserted in theca-sings and: in this way the circuit wires are made substantially eon- -ftiriuou-s' throughout the lengthof the train and the connection of 'the -twd line v'vires "through the-several shunt wires is prevented hy reasonhf the: fact that the "plugs hold: the spring tread member 19 in a relation to m'o've the spring contacts-finger 17' outof= engagement with the; cohtact 16". Now, as there be a break; inth connection between two of the "cars; or between the engine and g the cars ofthe train; the plug will beqdrawn from the switch eas iiig,-= and consequentl-yathe spring tension of the tread spring 1 9 will be overcome: and thevspri-n'g centa mem erzlal will come to hearing engagement with the contact tongue 16 which will complete the circuit through the shunt wire connected with the binding post 18, when the circuit to the alarm at 3 will be completed and through energization'of this alarm, the engineer will be informed that there is a break in the train circuit and that some of the couplings of the train have been severed. 1

While I have herein shown and described only one specific form of the invention and anly one arrangement of the circuit, it will be understood that various modifications might be resorted to in the form :and arrangement of the switch casing, the block, and still other parts of the structure and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein set forth but only to such features-as may be pointed out in the claim A coupling switch for electricrcircuits on cars, which comprises a grooved iblock formed of insulating material, a [receiving member secured thereon and having a air of converging flanged arms formed 0 resilient material to act as contacts and guides, a second pair of resilient arms serving as stops secured to and within the receiving member adjacent the. inner ends of the the second terminal and having its free end.

terminating adjacent and capable of contacting with the bentover contact portion of the'base portion, the other end of said pin normally engaging with the strip, a resilient element secured to the strip serving as an auxiliary spring, and a removable plug having a contact and adapted for insertion between the fianged arms, said plug including a terminal and acting to move the pinifor causing a disengagement of the contact strip with the base contact portion of the receiving member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ure in presence of two witnesses.

' LEWIS J. OSTROWSKI.

Witnesses: y

LADISLAW WYWIORSKI. I JOHN OSTROWSKL Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of ratenta v Washington, D. 0. i 

